Cooperation not conflict needed over Interchange

The Draft Porirua Development Framework
sets out long-term land use management on a key highway for
the region. The Framework is currently open for public
comment.

Wellington and Porirua City Councils are
engaging in “productive dialogue” over the Draft Porirua
Development Framework which identifies the
Pauatahanui/Judgeford area as possibly being suitable for
long-term industrial/business development, confirm the
Mayors of Wellington and Porirua cities.

The
Wellington Regional Strategy, developed by the region's nine
councils, identifies Pauatahanui as a ‘change area’ due
to its proximity to the proposed Transmission Gully Motorway
and State Highway 58 interchange. It states that it is
likely to come under development pressure and makes sense
for local authorities in the Wellington region to work
together.

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast and
Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash say the cities are working
together to curb developments that might negatively impact
on other commercial centres in the region.

In its
draft Development Framework, Porirua City Council has taken
a very long-term view (50 years+) of how to control
development in the Pauatahanui/Judgeford
area.

Mayor Prendergast says: “Wellington City
Council’s submission is our chance to provide feedback on
that Framework. The submission simply reinforces my
Council’s position on development in the Pauatahanui area.
We are engaging in productive dialogue with Porirua on
this.

“The position that Wellington City took in
April 2006 in accepting the Hearings Subcommittee’s
recommendation that Transmission Gully should proceed was
that we needed assurances from other councils such as
Porirua that they would implement land-use controls to
minimise urban sprawl along the Transmission Gully
route.

“Our submission is therefore consistent
with our position on this and with the WRS. It is about
Porirua understanding what our concerns are”

Ms
Brash says the intent of the draft framework was to receive
feedback.

"Both Councils agree on the need to
carefully manage future development opportunities in the
Pauatahanui/SH58 area that will arise from the future
Transmission Gully interchange."Transmission Gully
motorway as the future State Highway 1 is essential to the
long-term economic viability of the lower North Island but
its impacts on urban form and economic development in the
Wellington region must be anticipated, planned for, and well
managed.

"This cannot be done by one Council
alone, so it's important we listen to all points of view to
gain a shared understanding and consensus," says Mayor
Brash.

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